Several Innisfail athletes are gearing up to compete in the 2016 Alberta Winter Games in Medicine Hat.
The biennial event takes place from Feb. 13 to 16.
Innisfail is sending three local athletes to the games this year. Blake Anderson will compete in archery, Presley Busch will be in figure skating competition and 13-year-old Sarah Gette will compete in female hockey.
“I was very excited to be chosen,” said Gette. “We're called the Zone 4 Rush.”
Gette began playing hockey when she was just four years old and today plays with the Red Deer bantam AAA team.
Tryouts for Innisfail athletes and those in the Parkland Zone 4 district were held last December in Wetaskiwin, she noted. Gette made the cut for this year's roster, as one of six defencemen chosen from 38 hopefuls.
Several girls hockey teams will be competing from Parkland Zone 4 at the winter games, including teams from Red Deer, Camrose, Spruce View, Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House.
While it is Gette's first time participating at the provincial level for hockey, she has acquired a lot of experience from different sporting events over the years.
“She made it to provincials last year playing on a peewee A team out of Olds,” said her father Rob Gette. “They lost in the gold medal game.”
She and her two siblings are accomplished swimmers, and have competed at the provincial level in the sport of swimming, noted Gette. Her older sister has also played hockey in the Alberta Winter Games in previous years and her older brother competed in swimming at the Alberta Summer Games.
“They treat kids really well at these games,” said Rob. “They all stay together as a team and the parents go watch (events) but we don't have our kids while they're there for four days.”
Sarah said she has been preparing for the event for several weeks and is both nervous and excited to participate in her first Alberta Winter Games.
“It's more about staying focused so I can do well in the games,” she said, noting her family's immense support. “They're proud of me to make it (to the games) and they all just want me to do my best.”
Her dad noted some tough competition is expected for the games but is hopeful his daughter can come home with a medal.
“It's tough to compete against the Calgary teams because they have such a big draw,” he said. “But I think we have a shot.”
The young hockey player is looking forward to taking in the entire event.
“I hope to take away a good experience (from the Alberta Winter Games) and make some lifelong friends from it,” said Gette.
“She's watched her older brother and sister at the summer and winter games and this is her first chance,” added her father. “Now it's her turn.”
Sarah Gette
"They're proud of me to make it (to the games) and they all just want me to do my best."
